The Old Legend
by Reaniea
Summary: A legend forgotten by Hyrule about its first Queen Zelda and her husband Link.  A legend of their journey that changed the lives of every living being in the vast kingdom of Hyrule.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER I do not own the Legend of Zelda, or any of the characters.**

There are many legends in Hyrule, both old and new. Some of them are true, some of them are not, and some are prophecies that might happen, one day. Most of them, however, involve a certain young princess, a hero in green, and a dark man from the desert. These three have the power of the goddesses granted to them. But, how did this power come to be?

This is an old legend that I'm about to tell you. One that has been forgotten by time. It is the legend of a Queen named Zelda, the first queen to have that name.

It was a time of great sorrow for Hyrule . . .

"This is an epidemic, my queen." The castle's physician said in a rather calm voice, considering the circumstance. Then again, he had been up for nearly three days now with no sleep. Zelda shifted her weight on the throne, her golden hair falling over her shoulder, her worst fears were now realized. "The disease that has swept over the land started as a fever, but soon people started to die. Once that happened, it seemed the number of dead jumped. People are being infected from the corpses of their loved ones." Now the physician seemed slightly hopeless, his red eyes becoming moist with tears.

"Is there nothing we can do to stop this?" Zelda pleaded, her own vision starting to be blurred by tears. "Is there any way to stop the sickness from spreading? Any remedy whatsoever?"

"I'm afraid there is no cure. Nor is there any way to protect yourself other than staying away from anyone that has passed away. Such a thing is hard to do for our people, my Queen. Our own customs revolve around the treatment of our loved one's bodies. They are carefully taken care of, in most cases they are kept within the home for a day, at the least." The physician sighed, nervously running his fingers through his thinning gray hair. "Some people may listen to our words, and stop the custom. But, there is still the issue of finding _where _to put these corpses. Digging holes in the ground for each one would take to much effort from the few people who haven't been slightly effected by this illness. Burning them is so disrespectful to the dead that most families would refuse, even if it meant they themselves would fall ill and meet the same fate."

"So, Hyrule's love of family might end up destroying her." Zelda sighed, this situation was becoming more and more hopeless.

"Will the voice of reason be able to reach our poor citizens?" The King asked, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. A habit he had whenever he was in deep thought, or hopeless as he was now.

"I'm afraid not. All we can do now is hope for some outside force to interfere and end this disease." The old physician bowed, and walked out the great doors of the throne room.

"Is there no hope for us, for our country?" King Link sighed, taking off the green hat he was so fond of. His "forest garb" as he called it, one should never forget that all came from the earth, and forever is tied to it.

"My King, there is always hope. There must always be hope, because once hope has been lost, logic and wisdom are soon followed." Zelda started tracing a line of gold pattern on her dress. Anything to keep her mind off the suffering of her people.

"We must have the courage to face this illness, but how do we face something we do not see, something we can not grab?"

"This is Hyrule!" Zelda whispered, the tears now running down her face. "We are a land of vast size! Of vast races! If we humans can not figure out how to fight this, maybe the forest children can! The fairies! The people of the water, or the people of the rock! Someone has to know how to fight this, someone must know how to end the suffering." She felt defeated now, and glad that it was only her husband in this room with her. Only her husband that saw the Queen breaking down like this.

"Are you saying we should travel in your current condition?" He asked, worried about his wife.

"If the Queen and the King do not lead their people, how can they expect anyone to follow?" Zelda's voice was steadier now, determined. "At whatever danger it is to us, our people must see that we are doing something, however small, to help them." Zelda looked into her husbands eyes, and he knew there was no talking his wife out of it. The Queen of Hyrule was far to stubborn.

"We'll leave as soon as I get some of our knights together."

"No. We will leave in one hour, no knights. I will take my most trusted handmaiden along with me, but no other soldiers. They have to stay here and start digging graves. We have my skill as an archer, and your skill with a sword. My handmaiden, Impa, is also quite skilled with a knife." Zelda seemed to be growing more and more determined, "Get the three strongest and fastest horses in the stable, I will get the provisions and inform Impa of our plan. We will set out to the children of the forest in an hour." With that, Queen Zelda left the throne room to seek out her silver-haired handmaiden.


	2. II Silent Farewell

**DISCLAIMER I do not own Legend of Zelda, or any of its characters.**

Impa was in Queen Zelda's chambers, putting away a dress that was just washed when Zelda found her. The Queen was very fond of the friendship she had formed with the servant she had had since she was a child. Both of them were the same age, so both had grown up with each other for company. In fact, Impa was slightly younger than the queen, but most thought the servant was years older because of her hair.

Often, the two were called "the golden queen and the silver servant" by the townspeople who had seen the two together. Zelda was fairly happy with the title, happy that the friendship between the two showed to the townspeople.

It was this friendship that allowed Impa to understand why Zelda wanted to do what she was planning. That still didn't stop her from fighting. "Queen Zelda, you're actually going to go through with this journey? This quest that has no set path?" The Queen nodded. "Are you in any fit state to be traveling?" Impa gestured to Zelda's growing stomach.

"I do not have a choice. If not for my kingdom, at least I can go on this journey for my unborn child. I don't want any baby to be born into this suffering. Let alone _my _child." Zelda rested her hands on the bump.

"Is there any talking you out of this?" Impa asked, though she knew the answer would be a no. Zelda shook her head, smiling slightly. "Fine then, we're going to have to get different clothes, then. Dresses of gold thread and silver cloth are not things you should see in a forest." Impa sighed, pinching her dress between two fingers. "Good thing I always knew you were stubborn, and would eventually do something like this. I've had clothes for these occasions made out just in case." Impa disappeared into the closet, returning a moment later with two outfits. One of them was a green, slightly lighter than Link's own dress, the other a shadowy black. They were fairly similar to Links, in fact. Tight, light colored pants that were both durable and light-weight, good for traveling. A shirt that ended just above the knees, fastened at the waist by a belt. Boots that looked like they could last years without wearing down. Zelda's green outfit also had a strap that attached to the belt and went over her shoulder, for her quiver and bow.

"In all my years, I've never thought that I would dress so much like my husband." Zelda said once she had changed, her figure only seemed to be enhanced by the male clothing. Impa only smiled as she strapped the arm guards onto Zelda's wrists. Her own outfit seemed slightly more customized to her specialty with knives, the belt around her waist had three of them hanging off it, and the straps around her waist had two more hidden in them. Not to mention the ones stuffed into her boots.

"Turn around and let me braid your hair." Impa said, and Zelda obeyed, noticing that Impa's own hair was already braided.

"How do you change so quickly?" Zelda asked her, glad that she had someone to ask little questions like that to.

"My dress wasn't nearly as complicated as yours was. I don't have to struggle out of any oversized skirts, or laced up boots. I don't understand how you can." Impa said, laughing, while she walked back into the closet.

"If I could sit on the throne in such informal clothes as the King does, I would be happy. Alas, people expect their Queen to be powerful, yet beautiful at the same time."

"Well, then, I suppose they would want you to wear this?" Impa returned to the room, carrying what looked like a necklace.

"My tiara? I haven't worn that since I was a child, a princess." Zelda was confused, though she did quite like the piece of jewelry. A thin golden string, stronger than a chain yet more flexible, said to be made in the moonlight by fairies. It wrapped around the head and tied at the back, the ends flowing down the princess's back, a bit of gold mixed in with her hair.

"People want to see their leader, and I thought that the crown would be too much. If they can't have Queen Zelda, they can at least have Princess Zelda. Of course that would mean King Link would also have to become Prince Link. I think both titles have a nice ring to them, don't you agree?" Impa laughed, and tied the tiara around Zelda's head, braiding her hair with the two ends of the string. "That, and I think the blue jewel in the center makes your eyes look really pretty." Impa smiled again, before grabbing the bow and quiver that sad in one corner of the room.

"Now, we start our journey." Zelda stood up, and walked out the door.

Link had gotten provisions from the kitchen, and they were already in the saddlebags of three horses. She recognized the three at once, her own Epona, with a red-brown color and white tail and mane. Link's large warhorse of gray and white, whose name had something to do with the moon in his native language, and Impa's Shadow, a fast horse of pure black color.

Really, that girl liked the color black all to much.

Wordlessly she mounted her horse, as Link and Impa did as well. There was a long ride ahead of them, and Link was probably angry at both of them for wanting to go on this journey at all. Zelda was to stubborn to talk about anything, knowing Link would just try to change her mind. As for Impa, she rarely talked at all unless it was to Zelda.

So, silently the left the castle, traveling through the depressing roads of Hyrule. The citizens that could still stand did, and from the looks in their eyes, they all knew what the three of them leaving meant. The townspeople of Castle Town were not being ignored, the King and Queen were not running away from Hyrule.

They were on a quest to save it.

It was a silent farewell, as Queen Zelda lead the small group over the drawbridge, the citizens of the town gathered around them. The feelings of despair seemed to give way to hope in that moment, and the three in the group knew that they could not turn back on this mission. Too many lives depended on it.


End file.
